Bipartisan senators criticize Trump’s nominee for Kuwait over accusations of antisemitism
Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday demonstrated rare unity opposing President Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Kuwait, scrutinizing a history of alleged antisemitic comments and positions.
The problematic record of Trump’s nominee, Amer Ghalib, toward Israel, Jews and U.S.-designated terrorist groups gave some of the president’s most ardent supporters permission to oppose his pick to represent the U.S. in the Middle East.
“I think the facts here are quite clear, and your long-standing position is directly contrary to that of the president,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said of Ghalib during his confirmation hearing.
Cruz indicated he would not vote in favor of advancing Ghalib’s nomination. One other Republican would have to join all Democrats to block his advancement from the committee.
The fact that Ghalib was provided a hearing for his confirmation signals forward movement on the committee, and few Republicans have chosen to vote against Trump’s nominees since he returned to the White House in January.
During a Foreign Relations business meeting in September, Republican members rallied around Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, despite his endorsement on social media of a convicted Belgian Holocaust-denier.
Ghalib — who previously served as the first Muslim American mayor of Hamtramck, Mich. — was nominated to the ambassador role in May. He endorsed Trump for president in September 2024 after meeting with him in private, providing the then-GOP presidential nominee critical legitimacy among the Muslim population amid fierce anger against the Biden administration and former Vice President Kamala Harris for the handling of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Ghalib came under scrutiny for claims denying that Hamas carried out sexual violence against women and children during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack; social media history “liking” posts likening Jews to monkeys; calling deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein a martyr; saying the Muslim Brotherhood is an “inspiration” and expressing support for Houthi attacks against commercial shipping linked to Israel.
“The local news outlet in your city reported in October of 2023 that you claim that reports of sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7 were, and I quote, a campaign of lies and deception, and that there wasn’t, quote, any evidence to support that these crimes occurred against victims,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member of the committee, said.
“When you met with my staff before this hearing, you didn’t deny that you said those statements which, if that’s true, I appreciate that, at least you were honest about it, but you reiterated that you believe there was no evidence of sexual violence against victims of [October] the seventh,” she added.
Ghalib was also taken to task for not speaking out against a member of the Hamtramck City Council who said the Holocaust was an advanced punishment against Israel for its conduct in the war in Gaza and oversaw the passage of a resolution supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
“Do you believe it’s appropriate to equate Israel, a democratic ally defending itself from terrorism, with the Nazi regime that systematically murdered 6 million Jews?” Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) questioned Ghalib.
“Given that you’d be the United States’s highest ranking diplomat in Kuwait, a country that was invaded by Saddam, how do you justify calling Saddam Hussein a martyr to us, but also to the people of Kuwait?” asked Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), who served in the Gulf War.
The pointed GOP questions came on top of scrutiny from Democratic members, including Sens. Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Chris Murphy (Conn.) and Tim Kaine (Va.).
Ghalib said he had a “bad habit” to “like” every social media post as an acknowledgement but not signaling his agreement, and that he praised Hussein in a “moment of anger” after Iranian troops attacked U.S. bases in Iraq in January 2020.
“In a moment of anger, I complimented Saddam because he kept Iran in check, and probably that’s the only positive thing he did in his life,” the nominee said.
He added that he had no power to remove the official who celebrated the Holocaust and that he had no say in a BDS resolution on the City Council.
But even as Republicans pushed Ghalib on his past positions, it’s not clear if the panel’s GOP members will vote against advancing his nomination, or if they only sought to give Ghalib a platform to clarify his positions.
“Do you agree or do you disagree with President Trump’s view that Israel is and should be the national home of the Jewish people?” McCormick asked Ghalib.
“I trust the president’s policies, and I would support this policy,” he responded.